Locomotive tender stoker structure



l w. M. sHEEHAN LCOMOTIVE TENDER .STOKER STRUCTURE Oct. 27, 1936.

Filed Oct. 5, 19.5.1 4 ShAeebS--SlleefI 2 Oct.'27, 1936. w. M. sHEEHAN V LOCOMOTIVE TENDER S'TOKR STRUCTURE Filed oci. 5, 1951 4 sheets-sheet :5

y "y @Mar/7gg ,Oct. 27, 1936. w. M. sHEEHAN LOCOMOTIVE TENDER STOKER S-TRUCTURE y Filed Oct. 5, 1931 4Sheets-Sheet 4 \/u;.. nffgf Patented Oct. 27, 1936` UNI-TED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOCOMOTIVE TENDER STOKER STRUCTURE Application October 5, 1931, Serial No. 566,969

3 Claims.

The invention relates to railway rolling stock and particularly to steam locomotive tenders of the type provided with stoker conveyor mechamsm.

It is at present customary in constructing certain types of locomotive tenders to mount the stoker engine near the front end of the tender underframe and connect the Stoker engine with gears at the rear end of the stoker` screw conveyor, extending along the iioor of the coal hopper, by means of a -connecting shaft and universal joints. In this arrangement, the stoker engine crowds draft rigging and other equipment extending between locomotive and tender, and requires shafting or other means to transmit the power to the rear of stoker conveyor. This renders useless a portion of the tender as this shafting must be enclosed in suitable casings so as to be protected from the water in tender.

The main objects of the invention are to simplify the above tender and Stoker construction, to increase the water capacity of the tender, and to reduce the weight of the stoker mechanism. 'I'hese objects are accomplished by locating the stoker engine at the rear of the stoker trough, and, preferably, forming the Stoker trough and engine compartment in a single casting.

Other objects of the invention are to facilitate access to the Stoker engine and its driving connection with the stoker conveyor and to locate the stoker engine and driving mechanism in a position where it will not interfere with draft rigging and adjacent equipment and where it will be readily removable independently of other locomotive equipment.

These and other detail objects which will be referred to later are attained by the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings in Which- Figure 1 is a partial top view of a tender underframe embodying the invention, the upstanding Walls of the tender tank and engine housing being sectioned.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on the longitudinal center line of the tender as indicated at 2-2 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figures 1 and 2 with the tank side sheet removed. Y

Figure 4 is a partial front end elevation of the tender.

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary top View of a tender underframe illustrating a modified form of Stoker engine housing. 5

Figure 8 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 8-8 of Figure '7.

Figure 9 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 9 9 of Figure 7.

Figure 10 is a vertical transverse section taken l0 on the line lil- IBY of Figure 7.

The underframe, shown in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, has the usual center sills I, side sills 2, bolster structures 3, and end sills #I and, preferably, is of water-bottom type in which a botl5 tom web 5 extends from side sill to side sill and forms` the bottom of the Water tank of the tender as disclosed inv Ashe and Pflager Patent No. 1,663,036, issued March 20, 1928. Suitable transverse transoms 6, l, 8, and 9 cooperate 20 with bolsters 3 and end sills il to brace the structure transversely. Preferably, the complete underframe is a cast structure although this construction is not essential to the present invention. 25

The stoker trough and engine compartment comprises a unitary structure including the trough Il), arranged for the conveyor screw il, and having upright wall portions I2 with angular flanges I3 thereon for mounting the fuel hopper sheets I4 (Figure 5). Transverse webs I5 with lower anges I5 form supporting legs for mounting the trough on the underframe sills and transoms.

A rear wall Il forms in part a closure member and in part a support for the end of the trough and is provided with bearing i8 for journaling the conveyor screw I I. Angular members 20 extend rearwardly from the wall il and other angular members 2l extend laterally from members 20 to form the framework of a box-like compartment for housing the driving gears 22, their cover and housing 23, and Stoker engine 24. Transverse rails 25, integral with the lower angular members 2l, form a support for the 45 stoker engine and the upper edges of the upright legs of members 2Ia are inclined downwardly from the top of rails 25 (Figure 5) to facilitate insertion and removal of the stoker engine through the outer end 26 of the compartment.

Top sheets 21 and side sheets 28 are applied to angular members 20 and 2| to enclose the top and sides of the engine driving mechanism compartment. The underframe includes an upper horizontal web 29 extending beneath the compart- 55 ment and forming the lower wall thereof and also forming a closure for the liquid compartment at this portion of the tender. At the rear of the trough, openings 30 are provided in underframe top and bottom webs which form a manhole to provide access to the mechanism compartment.

Center sills I, transoms 8 and 9, and compartment members 21, 28, and 29 form water retaining walls surrounding the manhole and the engine and driving mechanism compartment.

Figures 7 to 10 inclusive, illustrate a modification of the invention wherein the stoker engine is supported upon a floor structure extending rearwardly and sidewardly from the stoker trough and including upright longitudinal and transverse ribs 51 and 51a which intersect to form a shallow box-like member having lugs 59 directly mounting the engine. The structure includes a diagonal supporting rib 58 in alignment with one of the ribs 51 and is also supported upon an upright longitudinal rib 1E] in alignment with the other rib 51, a portion of center sill GB, and transverse ribs 63 and Ell. Members 65,63, 6d, and 15 are preferably formed integral with the underframe, as shown.

The engine compartment is enclosed by end plate 52 of the stoker trough, and steel plates 5B, 5|, 53, and 54 secured to the tank side Walls 6E, the sloping walls 1| of the coal hopper, and the floor structure. Manhole openings 6| are prgvided, as in the form previously described, and other openings and 61, to facilitate cleaning of the casting, are closed by plate 68 and bottom web 69 of. the oor structure, respectively.

Each of the above described structures avoids the necessity of mounting the Stoker engine on the rear portion of the locomotive engine or on the front of the tender frame in close proximity to the draft rigging and eliminates an elongated driving shaft extending alongside of the stoker trough for rotating the driving gears and also eliminates the necessity of a shaft housing and various universal joint connections which are required in the usual installation of stoker engines. This results in an increase in the water capacity of the tender without increase in the outside dimensions of the tender. If repair or renewal of any of the driving mechanism parts is required,

it is a comparatively simple matter to get at and take .out the engine and driving gears without interfering with other parts or the mechanism of the locomotive.

The hopper and tank wall sheets may be welded or riveted to the trough and housing and to the underframe. The trough and housing structure may be welded or riveted to the underframe or, if desired, this structure or any part thereof may be cast integrally with the underframe.

Various parts may have different shapes and may .otherwise be modified and it is not essential that the entire trough and housing structure be formed in a single casting. Separately formed castings may be welded together, or structural steel elements may be used in combination with the cast trough, or the entire structure may be made of structural shapes and plates, if desired, without departing from the spirit of the invention and the exclusive use of the novel features disclosed herein, as expressed in the appended claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. A locomo-tive stoker trough and engine compartment framework in the form of a unitary structure including bearings for a conveyor shaft and gearing and supports for a stoker engine.

2. In a locomotive tender, a stoker trough, and a stoker engine mounting structure integral therewith and extending laterally from the rear end thereof, said structure including a floor portion having elements for mounting a stoker engine, and a diagonal rib supporting said portion.

3. In a locomotive tender, a Water bottom underframe including center sill vertical webs spaced apart, a stoker trough carried by said underframe, and a stoker engine compartment extending from the rear of said trough to the side of the tender, there being water storage space at three sides of. said compartment and below the same at the side of the center sill, there being a manhole through the bottom of said underframe intermediate said webs providing access to the inner end of said compartment, and there beingan opening through the side of the tender to the outer end of said compartment.

WILLIAM M. SHEEHAN. 

